In the late 1940’s a sister of the Irish order of the Sisters of Loretto began receiving visions of Jesus. She was, at the time, teaching at a school in Calcutta, India. In these visions Jesus told her he wanted her to form an order of Indian nuns that would, among other things, assist children. That sister did as Jesus asked, and in 1950 she became Mother Teresa and established the Missionaries of Charity to serve “the poorest of the poor.”
Mother Teresa went to her eternal reward in 1997. In 2009, Sister Nirmala Joshi, her successor as Superior General of the Missionaries of Charity, determined that when Jesus had instructed Mother Teresa to help children, He was referring to the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS), the catechetical method that observes and utilizes the insights of Maria Montessori.
Since that time CGS has been incorporated into the formation of all new sisters of the Missionaries of Charity, both active and contemplative, and it is the method used in their catechetical work with children worldwide. That means that today, CGS is utilized by the over 5,000 Missionaries of Charity in places like Baltimore, Los Angeles, and the Bronx to help children and the “poorest of the poor” to draw closer to God.
Sister Vineeth Tom, superior at Gift of Hope in Baltimore summed up their work saying, “The children are receptive, and it’s important that we bring them to Jesus because they are the future.”
At Hilltop Children’s House we agree with Sister Tom, and we see our mission as aligning with the mission given to the Missionaries of Charity by Jesus in his apparitions to Mother Teresa: to serve the poor and to assist children.
For this reason we have adopted Mother Teresa as patroness of Hilltop Children’s House.
Like Mother Teresa did when she left the Sisters of Loretto to follow the Lord’s call in Calcutta, we are trusting that the Lord, who is the source and strength of all good works, will guide our work and make it possible if we are faithful to him.
Jesus, you made Saint Teresa an inspiring example of firm faith and burning charity, an extraordinary witness to the way of spiritual childhood, and a great and esteemed teacher of the value and dignity of every human life.
Hear the requests of all those who seek her intercession, especially the petition I now implore…the success of Hilltop Children’s House.
May we follow her example in heeding Your cry of thirst from the Cross and joyfully loving You in the distressing disguise of the poorest of the poor, especially those most unloved and unwanted.
We ask this in Your name and through the intercession of Mary, Your Mother and the Mother of us all.
Amen.